Engineering Foundations: Principles, Design and Communication
INDE1001

Year 1, Sem 1 or Sem 2 Core Technical Competence Engineering Application Experience Personal and Professional Skills Integrated Engagement with Professional Practice

Back
Code INDE1001
Credits 25
Graduate Attributes

Introduction

Engineering Foundations: Principles, Design, and Communication (EFPDC) is the Engineering Foundation Year (EFY) foundation unit that introduces students to the practice of engineering by engaging them through the stages of a typical engineering project. EFPDC focuses on five main concepts: communication skills, teamwork, design process, tendering process, and reflective practice.

Gone are the days when engineers are isolated individuals, only crunching numbers behind a desk. The role of an engineer today requires soft skills, such as communication skills (writing reports, discussing ideas, giving presentations, pitching designs, etc.) and teamwork skills, in addition to the needed analytical skills and in-depth understanding of the situation to create the solution. This is because solutions are not made in a vacuum but rather by engaging with the stakeholders of a project, determining the correct set of criteria and constraints before a solution, and then building a sustainable solution that utilises appropriate technology.

INDE1001 will step you through an engineering project in 3 stages:

  • Stage 1: You will understand the role of stakeholders in creating design criteria. Then, you will create an appropriate sustainable solution to the problem and submit plans to build a model representing the whole solution or key elements.
  • Stage 2: You will engage in the tendering process to outsource the model of your solution to a set of contractors to build according to your team's specifications.
  • Stage 3: You will pitch your idea to a panel of stakeholders and reflect on your goals and growth through the engineering design process.
Projects are sourced through the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Challenge, in partnership with a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) in a selected community. Each year, two real-world community development projects are featured, giving your work the potential for real impact if selected by the NGO for implementation. Learning in this unit is supported through face-to-face lectures and interactive project meetings. Project Managers will guide your technical development and communication practices, while fostering collaboration and design thinking. This unit sets the stage for your engineering journey, giving you early exposure to the social, technical, and professional dimensions of the field.

Equity, Inclusivity and Belonging
This unit, in line with current research and university values, strives to achieve a positive and inclusive educational environment. This supports improved academic performance, increased confidence and creates a greater sense of safety and belonging. Your teaching team is committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning experience and requires students to take reasonable and appropriate measures to actively eliminate discrimination on the basis of ability; cultural and social background; and diverse sex, sexuality, and gender.

Link to Equity and Inclusivity web resources: https://about.curtin.edu.au/values-vision-strategy/diversity-equity/
Lecture 1 x 2 Hours Weekly 
Workshop 1 x 3 Hours Weekly 

Unit Learning Outcomes

  • 1 create and communicate an innovative engineering design which considers key concepts such as principles of sustainable design and development, ethical judgement, academic integrity, risk management, and economic implications, GC1, GC2, GC4
  • 2 communicate and professionally manage information throughout an industry standard tendering process, GC3, GC4
  • 3 work collaboratively, manage information and embed awareness of Indigenous knowledge systems, culture and protocols, GC3, GC5, GC6
  • 4 reflect upon the engineering profession, the solution to the humanitarian engineering problem and the processes involved in successful teamwork, GC4, GC6

Course Learning Outcomes

  • 3 Make decisions related to the design and implementation of solutions to engineering problems in a safe, ethical, and climate-responsible manner adhering to legal and professional standards and through respectful partnerships with local First Peoples and other diverse cultures as globally responsible citizens
  • 4 Apply systems thinking for innovative solutions to global chemical engineering challenges, discern knowledge and undertake applied research in a discipline of chemical engineering,
  • 6 Demonstrate lifelong learning habits, teamwork and leadership abilities, project management skills, and the ability to identify opportunities for career-wide professional growth, necessary for advancing a career in engineering and beyond

Assessment Breakdown

Recent Unit Changes & Response to Student Feedback

Students are encouraged to provide feedback through student surveys (such as Insight and the annual Student Experience Survey) and interactions with teaching staff.

Listed below are some recent changes to the unit as a result of student feedback.

Semester 1 2020 changes
  1. Total revamping of the unit due to merging with another foundational unit
  2.  Assessments revamped and updated
  3. Panel of engineers for talk
  4. Industry coming in to assess final products.
Semester 2 2020 changes
  1. Re-evaluated assessments based on student performance and response during Semester 1. Semester 1 2021 changes\
  2. Most to all lectures redone for better quality
  3. Workshop lessons revamped based on student feedback
Semester 2 2021 changes
  1. Some face to face lectures implemented
  2. Re-evaluated assessments based on student performance and response during Semester 1.
  3. Topics for lectures re-ordered to provide max amount of info when needed.
Semester 1 2022 changes
  1. Update in workshop lesson plans and lecture material
  2. CAD program that will be emphasized aligns with EFY
  3. Re-evaluated assessments to lighten student workload
Semester 2 2022 changes
  1. Update in workshop lesson plans and lecture material
  2. Re-evaluated assessments to lighten student workload
Semester 1 2023 changes
  1. Update in workshop lesson plans and lecture material
  2. Changes to assessment details based on feedback
Semester 2 2023 changes
  1. Update in workshop lesson plans and lecture material
  2. Changes to assessment details based on student and staff feedback both in evaluate and given during the semester eg.
    1. lengthening Stage 1 process and decreasing Stage 3 process,
    2. altering Stage 2 assessment
    3. class size and tutor size
    4. student workload and topics provided.
Semester 1 2024 changes
  1. Included lecture topics:
    • Hands on Sketch Up lesson
    • How to attach & combine pdfs
    • What is acceptable AI for this unit
  2. Changes to assessment details in rubrics and documents to reflect size of teams
Semester 2 2024 changes
  1. Exemplars to be provided for assessments to be shown by staff, but will not be available fordownload.
  2. Word limit of 10,000 words is to be given on Stage 1 Design Package
  3. No online suppliers will be accepted for model supplies
  4. No drawings will be accepted in specifications for Design Package
  5. PDF documents have been reviewed.
  6. Rubrics have been updated
  7. Stage 2A reports will now only need model specs, model drawings, and TEC in appendices rather than attaching entire referenced report.
  8. Submission portals for reports re-evaluated.
  9. Timing of group preference in Stage 2 re-evaluated.
Semester 1 2025 changes
  1. Templates and rubrics updated to reflect feedback from last year's cohort.
  2. Safety presentation is now prepared as a group, and limited to 2 risks and mitigations
  3. Exemplars are removed from unit due to large amounts of copying among students.
  4. Recommendation now given for those with meeting strict deadlines in Stage 2 to be designers
  5. All lectures will be online and pre-recorded this semester due to large number of students.
  6. To ensure consistency in response to questions, Campus Wire will be used to answer unit questions.
Semester 2 2025 changes
  1. Rubrics updated based on staff and student feedback
  2. Slides noting Stage 1 report layout provided in week 1 or 2
  3. Example of final business pitch provided in Stage 1 so students can see end product
  4. Information about engineering drawings introduced in week 1